Privatization of Public Space
McKinley Park GiveAway?
August 12, 2004
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The Alameda Boys and Girls Club announced it was finalizing a deal to
takeover McKinley Park. George Phillips, the Executive Director, took
out a Use Permit for two 12 X 60 temporary buildings and the Club
announced its afterschool program would begin in McKinley in 2 weeks.
All this without a single public hearing.
September 7, 2004
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The neighborhood organized against the takeover -- not to fight the
Boys and Girls Club -- but to protect public property from
privatization. Worthy members of the Club pleaded with City
Council to help restore the Club, which closed suddenly without
notice, under the misimpression that the City had shut it down.
Park neighbors agreed that the Club is worthwhile. Many of their
children attended activities there. But they presented a petition
with 500 signatures asking the City to avoid sacrificing public
space to private organizations.
October 7, 2004 --
Recreation and Park Commissioners discussed the Boys and Girls Club
move to occupy McKinley Park and flatly turned it down. They asked
neighbors who came to the meeting to suggest policy for private use of
public parks. People offered many suggestions. Most importantly, they
don't want private organizations to use the parks and exclude the
public, especially by dropping large structures into parks. An
important question remains: Who told the Boys and Girls Club it would
be alright if they by-passed public hearings and directly applied for
use permits to put 2 12' x 60' modular buildings in McKinley. Whoever
did so avoided the existing process. Will additional statements
about obeying City rules for public hearings prevent a similar move
again?
In any case, the Commission will send it's statement about policy back to the City Council. Commissioners stated that they believe private organizations can be partners with the public in using park space, just as Little League and Soccer organizations do now, but their recommended policy will be carefully crafted so that no private organization can occupy parks in a way that excludes the public and denies public control of public space. The recommendations will be reviewed by Alameda's City Council representatives. They will make the final decision about policy governing private use of public space in Alameda.
